Would You Support A Bicycle Tax? (Portland: contractors, cost, vs.)

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

How much would it cost to enforce this? Would you need to do it through checkpoints? Have meter maids going through the bike racks? How much would a program like this cost? Once you factor in the cost, I am betting it would come to a negative or at most break even and not be able to cover any cost for infrastructure.

Any government program should only break even. As for enforcement, they're vehicles. That's who should enforce it.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

I know that the initial question was about a "tax" but as I said, I'm all for registration. For identification purposes. I'm not interested in it being a tax revenue. Personally, I think we all pay our fair share, and even though I'm not a biker, I'm happy to support the cause.

Though many programs are voluntary, that doesn't mean it can't be required.

I would only support it if it were a voluntary thing and was used for bike theft recovery. Steve thinks it could be used for bike infrastructure but has yet to show how something like this would cover the cost of the program, let alone infrastructure.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

As far as the riding bikes on the sidewalk being illegal, all I get out of whats above (that huge useless wall of text that someone posted) is that you have to be careful and follow the rules.
You have to be safe if you ride on the sidewalk.

It does not appear that riding bikes on the sidewalk is illegal in Portland, other than a small area downtown...

It is illegal in other cities in Oregon, but since this the Portland forum, I have to assume we are talking about Portland here.

Here's some nice discussions about that and other things.

Bicycle Law Articles | Oregon Bicycle Laws | Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton

http://www.stc-law.com/bike_sdwlks.html

http://portlandafoot.org/w/Riding_bi...land_sidewalks

http://blog.oregonlive.com/myoregon/...n_bicycle.html


If I am wrong please show me exactly why please.

When I was a little kid, I visted some cousins in San Jose California.
They got new bikes for their birthdays and they had to go down to the firehouse where the fireman put some kind of serialized sticker on their bikes and logged a description in a book.
No fee for that.

I think that the above suggested 1% to 2% dedicated surcharge/fee on bikes and accessories totally devoted to bike infrastructure etc is a good way to start.
And we would not have to establish the huge money wasting government beureacracy to handle bike licensing.
Pretty low key, and Portland could get that implemented pretty quickly without wasting time "introducing legislation" and all that jazz.
I think that would go over huge here.
Look how easy it was to pass that stupid "Arts Tax".
All we have to do is to make sure that the slimy politicians can't get their corrupt money grubbing hands on it, and divert it to something else.

Give it a trial run here and if it works? Great. Go statewide with it.
If it doesn't, we can get rid of it without involving state political machinery.
It seems that our legislature has enough to do with out dealing with more BS that will never pass.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

I would only support it if it were a voluntary thing and was used for bike theft recovery. Steve thinks it could be used for bike infrastructure but has yet to show how something like this would cover the cost of the program, let alone infrastructure.

Well, I don't agree with his assessment. My concern isn't bike theft recovery, my concern is, if a bicyclist causes an accident ... how do I identify it?

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

Well, I don't agree with his assessment. My concern isn't bike theft recovery, my concern is, if a bicyclist causes an accident ... how do I identify it?

Usually the bicyclist is there in pain. Problem with any form of identification for bikes, where would you put it to make it visible, it isn't like a car where a plate is easy to read. Also, a biker is usually identified the same way you would identify a pedestrian.

[EnricoV]

But a biker can be a lot further away a lot quicker than a pedestrian. And should be wearing a helmet. That renders them fairly indescribable.

Most licenses I've seen are under the back of the seat, or on the front, under the handlebars.

[urbanlife78]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

But a biker can be a lot further away a lot quicker than a pedestrian. And should be wearing a helmet. That renders them fairly indescribable.

Most licenses I've seen are under the back of the seat, or on the front, under the handlebars.

It would be easier to describe what a bike looks like, type of bag they have, body descriptions, hair color, etc. You can still describe what someone looks like that is riding a bike.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by EnricoV

But a biker can be a lot further away a lot quicker than a pedestrian. And should be wearing a helmet. That renders them fairly indescribable.

Most licenses I've seen are under the back of the seat, or on the front, under the handlebars.

The plate I had for my bike was under the back seat. It was visible from pretty far away. And the bike had a sticker on it for registration ID as well.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by Steve Pickering

[b]

Bicycle means a vehicle that:
(1) Is designed to be operated on the ground on wheels;
(2) Has a seat or saddle for use of the rider;
(3) Is designed to travel with not more than three wheels in contact with the ground;
(4) Is propelled exclusively by human power; and
(5) Has every wheel more than 14 inches in diameter or two tandem wheels either of which is more than 14 inches in diameter. [1983 c.338 §22]
[/font]

My four year old is currently riding a bike with 16" wheels. Nice to know she'll be pulled over while joyriding. Makes a lot of sense. Make sure to get your scooter and big wheel legislation going too.

[EnricoV]

Originally Posted by urbanlife78

It would be easier to describe what a bike looks like, type of bag they have, body descriptions, hair color, etc. You can still describe what someone looks like that is riding a bike.

Not if you're lying on the ground and they're pedaling away from you. But sure, clothing and accoutrements are always the best way to pinpoint a criminal.